Running, but make it trendy

The run doesn’t end when you stop your watch; it ends when you have posted it on Strava, uploaded a video to TikTok and posted a story on Instagram, often including a photo or graphic. The exercise taken up to get people off their phones has now made us inseparable from them. Maggie Klein, a running influencer, said: “I think social media has made it seem like it is more popular now than it was before, which it is, but equally running has always been a thing and will always be a thing, and Strava kind of changed the game as it made stuff sharable and more of a community feel.” With Gen Z being the main users on TikTok, the app has created a new community for these runners to share experiences and, without realising it, inspire more people to start running because they believe everyone is doing the same. This is where Half marathons provide a happy medium between something achievable and something that is still seen as extraordinary. Rosie said, “Social media has warped our perception of running. Part of it is that social media makes it out like 5k or 10k isn’t enough, so people then enter these half marathons because it’s a further distance that’s more realistically achievable than a marathon.” This idea that 5k or 10k isn’t enough is what drives Gen Z runners to sign up for half marathons more than it does to sign up for a charity or for fitness. The rewards that come with these apps: streaks, kudos and badges are another motivator for the Gen Z runners, as hitting that next distance will get them some kind of acknowledgement that they are doing well, and Gen Z live off validation. “Running has been glamourised on social media, seeing other running influencers and people running will influence people to do the same, especially young people,” says Maggie Klein. Social media has the impact of copy and pasting, where people see something online and feel obliged to replicate it for themselves, and this is why content creation in running has expanded. “People need and want content for their social media, and they see other people sharing it, and they think I want that image and look, so they create it themselves, which continues the cycle,” says the Marketing Director of The Great Run Company, Ollie Griffiths. Social media is that kryptonite that shapes Gen Z’s identity, which is why running training has become the new trendy way to influence our generation into their own running success and lifestyle. Runner Amy Bird said: “When you receive validation like kudos on Strava, it gives you that joy that you can only get from posting your running on social media to gain that attention, and nothing matches it.”  

The advancement of run clubs has been able to reshape the running culture to create a community rather than a competitive feel. “Share the road with them, chat to them, people do chat whilst running, so there is definitely a social dimension that perhaps these run clubs can provide,” said sports broadcaster Geoff Wightman. You go to your local coffee shop in the morning and see groups of people enjoying coffees and pastries in sports kits. Those are the running clubs blossoming. These clubs thrive off the social side that comes post-run, as this is where people get to socialise and make friends. These clubs are also providing a safe place for new runners lacking in confidence to get out there on their own. “It’s a confidence thing; some people may not feel confident to run on their own, or some women don’t like running when it’s darker outside.” This is how run clubs have changed the culture of running, wiping the stereotype of having to do it on your own. People are coming together at these clubs to create a community and atmosphere so lovely to run in that people are swapping their nights out to enjoy the fresh air on a morning run with friends. Rosie also pointed out how “brands are piling into run clubs,” especially in London, where people can turn up to these new events and try out new brands and sports kit for free, as companies are noticing this boom in run clubs, where they can attract new people to try their products out, whilst running. 

Beneath the heightened endorphins and confidence that surround Gen Z, running may obstruct the inner pressures that come with running. Strava revealed that the UK recorded 54% of people saying they run because “if they don’t go now, they won’t fit in.” This kind of expectation shows there can be negative contributing factors to this trend in running. The pressure to train for these events, like half-marathons, could end up causing subsequent negative mental health impacts, where people are piling on the pressure to run every day or complete the race in a certain time that their training plan tells them to. Another pressure beneath the positivity is injury. According to Temple Health, Runner’s Knee, the overuse of your knee, affects 30% of female runners and 25% of male runners. As much as the figure isn’t huge, thinking about 30% of female runners worldwide is quite a large number of people. Gen Z’s expectations of themselves to succeed mainly comes from that outside pressure. This generation wants to achieve distances like half-marathons, to prove to people they can do it, rather than doing it for themselves. A person’s morals can map out the mental journey they go on when running, so this generation needs to be competing to shape the future of running.  

Hobbies and habits can form during uncertain times, but will the habit of running become a permanent thing or a temporary fix? During COVID, Gen Z were also making whipped coffee and using fidget spinners, which have since become trends that have died out in popularity. So what is happening to prove that this running phase isn’t just a trend? For Gen Z who love to structure their work, social life and self-perception, running allows them to add something new into their routine, rather than something they dip in and out of. In the cost-of-living context, running is one of the few sports that doesn’t require expensive equipment or a membership, and that won’t change. Yes, buying the new Nike kit or a pair of the brightest Hoka trainers might be expensive, but they aren’t a requirement to run, which makes running a sustainable long term hobby. With increased mental health issues since COVID, Gen Z’s strategy to use running as an escape and coping mechanism gives running a purpose and reason to carry on, beyond keeping fit. As for half-marathons, the Great North Run has only seen increases since the pandemic, with around 57,000 entries pre-pandemic, compared to 60,000 participants through the ballot. There has also been an increase to 200,000 supporters for The Great North Run, showing how the running boom doesn’t just affect runners positively; it impacts the wider community as well.